TYSON FURY has admitted that American boxer Joey Abell is his worst nightmare as the two prepare to fight on the undercard of Derek Chisora’s WBO and WBA international heavyweight title fight against Kevin Johnson.

Abell replaced Argentine contender Gonzalo Omar Bastille at short notice and will take on Fury at the Copper Box in London on Saturday night.

Fury said: “It is a part of boxing. Boxers pull out every two minutes. It’s nothing new to me. I have 10 different opponents for every fight.

“”I’m certainly not going to do a David Haye and pull out on Saturday night.”

But Fury admitted he expected his American opponent to at least cause him some problems in the bout.

He said: “I’ve got this guy Joey Abell, 6’4”, southpaw, worst nightmare for me, by the way. I’m going to state that now.

“He knocked down Kubrat Pulev in his last fight, I don’t know if you saw that, and Pulev is the main challenger for Vladimir Klitschko’s title.

“Like he said he’s coming here to fight, he’s not coming here to lie down. He’s predicted he’s going to knock me out within five rounds so we’re going to see what’s going to happen.

“This is heavyweight boxing: One punch away from disaster, one punch away from glory and on Saturday night it’s all going to happen.”

Joey Abell knocked down Kubrat Pulev in his last fight [GETTY]

He’s coming here to fight, he’s not coming here to lie down

Tyson Fury

Despite Fury’s uncharacteristic caution Abell knows few people give him a chance of an upset, but says he is not simply here to take a beating.

He said: “I hope for the best. I know that people are thinking that I’m here to lose but I’m not here to lose because I’m here for the opportunity.

“I don’t deserve to be fighting the best in the world yet, I think it takes a lot of work to get to that level, to be fighting these kind of guys.

“But I definitely think that I’m a worthy opponent and I’m looking for a knock out.

“I can promise you that I’m not here to lose, I’m here to fight.”

If Derek Chisora overcomes Kevin Johnson, promoters are already lining up a blockbuster summer bought between the Brit and Fury, and while Abell expects that fight to go ahead regardless, he says he hopes to upset the plans a little with a surprise victory.

He said: “As for the promoters, I know what their plan is but I hope to disappoint them.”